What are the best certifications?

Since I have the MCSD certification, I guess I'm biased, but I think it's the best. It has certainly been a great thing for me. I am currently a free agent programmer and trainer. And things are going great. With Microsoft's announcements of the new .Net tracks, the MCSD certification won't be retired, and I believe will be viable for quite some time.

I think what Microsoft did with splitting the certification into two part, MCAD (Application Developer) and the complete MCSD for .Net allows greater flexibility for getting certified in the area of your specialization.

I had hoped for a Software Engineer or Architect certification, which I would have loved, but alas, we did not get. :-)

Go for it!! I encourage you all I can!

Bob Whitehead, MCSD, MCT

How do you define best? Something that will get you a job, pay the best, give you prestigue? I would say that so many people have the MS certs that they are becoming less and less worth. The MS market is pretty saturated with skillsets. However, I would say that getting any JAVA cert above the Programmer one is very worth it. There is till growing demand for everything JAVA.

Take a look at the Buzz at Builder.com at this thread about the same topic:

http://buzz.builder.com/cgi-bin/WebX?13@34.NppQaupOi5a^118@.ee874b7/43

Hope that helps,
Single - buzz.builder.com

Being certified is a major plus, but as far as the best... What technology? In the Microsoft world MCSDs and SEs and what not are great. I am a web Developer and have a Macromedia ColdFusion certification. It has landed me a few gigs and other interest. There are many many types of certification, pick the ones that apply to your field.

I don't think it's a matter of one cert being better than another, it's a matter of a cert being better than none, and it is better to be certified.

One word of caution. Don't rely on the cert alone, get real world experience. I know an MCSE or two that took classes and got the certs but had no real worl career experience... The Cert alone only proves you test well and can store the information. The cert and work experience show that you're a professional and that you care enough to take the test that proves it.

Good luck in any field you go into and good luck on the applicable cert exams. :-)

J.

With the rapidly expanding tracks of the CIW cert programs, can anybody offer opinions on the viability of CIW certs in general?

TIA,

Bob